‘Geordie Maradona’ Elliot Anderson helps Newcastle fight past Fulham

Since Elliot Anderson first stepped onto the field in black and white back in January 2021, Newcastle fans have serenaded him as the “Geordie Maradona”.

If there is a collective of humans more capable of hyperbole than football supporters, the world is yet to discover them.

That said, while it was Bruno Guimaraes who scored the game’s only goal at Craven Cottage, it was Anderson’s touch in the build-up that would have had the late, great Argentine No10 purring.

It was just a little back heel, a no-look flick to Harvey Barnes. But it took attending Fulham pair Joao Palhinha and Timothy Castagne out of the game. Fulham blinked, and seconds later they trailed.

“He’s an outstanding player,” said Eddie Howe of Anderson. “He’s improving all the time. This was, I think, going to be a big season for him. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury which stopped his momentum – he had a brilliant pre-season.

“We really rate him, and we feel there is so much more to come. But he is certainly growing into that position and starting to look really assured.”

The injury Howe refers to is the stress-fracture in midfielder Anderson’s back. It kept him out for four months and is also why, despite a bright, energetic midfield performance in midweek against Everton, Anderson was omitted from Saturday’s starting line up.

But if there is one thing Newcastle can be relied on for this season, it is an in-game injury. This time it was Joe Willock’s turn to limp off, replaced by Anderson before the break.

Anderson is a product of Wallsend Boys Club, the alma mater of Michael Carrick, Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley. His grandfather, Geoff Allen, lifted the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup with Newcastle back in 1969. That remains the club’s last major trophy, and how fans would love Anderson to drive them to their next silverware.

Howe and his staff have been excited about Anderson since they laid adoring eyes on him. Those who know football look at the way a player receives the ball on the half turn, how they use body when space is tight. Anderson scores highly in both regards.

And those in charge of book balancing will also be delighted. Newcastle’s ability to challenge the Champions League establishment on a consistent basis is currently hampered by profit and sustainability restrictions. Growing Premier League-ready talent from within will certainly help.

With Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Lewis Miley and perhaps now Willock all absent for various reasons, Anderson is set for further chances to prove his worth over the next few weeks.

Newcastle’s aim remains European re-qualification, and a victory – achieved despite Fabian Schar’s second-half effort being ruled out by Sam Allison for a push by Dan Burn after viewing multiple pitch-side replays – that Howe afterwards described as “up there with our best wins of the season” helped that cause.

Certainly, if observers of the first 25 minutes had been pressed to identify which team had taken four points from Paris St-Germain just months previously, they would not have picked Newcastle.

Fulham began like a team with a point to prove after a midweek humbling at Nottingham Forest. Newcastle barely played at all. Yet Willian, Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Muniz were all wasteful when it mattered most.

Then Martin Dubravka went down for treatment. Howe gathered his players, his face somewhere between “cross” and “absolutely livid” on the rage-o-meter. Marco Silva suggested it was a tactical pause; Howe denied that. “It allowed us to regroup, refocus,” he said. “It was a change of attitude for us that made the difference.”